The role of wildfires in a sustainable future

Abstract

Climate change and global warming have led to many risks and changes for the Earth, including the increase in natural fires, floods, air pollution, unusual seasons, etc. The increase in the trend of global warming may bring many countries underwater. For instance, the populous Asian nation of Bangladesh is most vulnerable to rising sea levels. It is estimated that a rise of just one meter in sea level is enough to submerge 30,000 square kilometres of the coastal areas of Bangladesh and displace 15 million people. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the effects of different factors on global warming and take possible actions to reduce the damage. Among various factors, natural fires are believed to be responsible for up to 20% of greenhouse gas production in the world. The source of 80% of fresh water in the United States is believed to be forest lands, which means the effect of natural fires can be disastrous not only for drinking water but also for aquatic habitats. In this paper, we present a survey on the impacts of forest fires on global warming.